Category: Insights

While house price growth stayed positive last year (despite the negative mood music) the harbingers of doom (experts) believe that won’t be repeated in 2018, as the twin spectres of Brexit and rising interest rates put the brakes on the property market.

Cash Isas have been a popular go-to savings account for people who are looking to take advantage of their tax-free allowance, but since the Bank of England cut interest rates to 0.5 per cent in March 2009 cash Isa rates and savings rates generally have dwindled.

The world’s most famous cryptocurrency smashed an array of price records in 2017, taking the flight of Bitcoin to a stratospheric level with its price rising by more than 1,400pc. Against the clamour The Telegraph takes a look at the top ten performing cryptocurrencies – 6 of which have experienced higher growth levels than their more famous, though flawed, forerunner Bitcoin in 2017.

Despite Brexit, an EU directive will come into force this month that is designed to increase transparency and reduce costs for investors. Meet MIFIDii (not Miffy!) the snappily entitled Markets in Markets in Financial Instruments Directive. MiFID II’s overarching remit is greater investor protection which it will achieve by targeting the processes of asset managers, banks, brokers and exchanges.